Photograph
by pLouderThanWordsr
Summary: A one-shot. Inspired by Ed Sheeran's song Photograph. Otto and Wing were called away for a mission and now that it's nearing Christmas that mission has come to an end. Shelby and Laura, along with their children, miss their husbands and have only photographs of past memories to help them throughout the year. They only hope for one thing Will all their Christmas wishes come true?


Otto was staring at the photo on his desk when Wing entered the room. It was a photo of Laura with each arm around the children. Laura was smiling at the camera, looking drenched, as the little girl and boy held up their water guns proudly.

They had been abroad for nearly a year and it was nearly coming to Christmas. A small group had started to grow and were getting too big for their own boots. The mission set for Wing and Otto was that they never trouble G.L.O.V.E again. It was almost done and all that was needed to be done was wrap up a few cases.

"Do you miss them?" Wing asked.

Otto nodded, "Of course. I promised the twins that I would help decorate the tree."

"Shelby made me promise to be home by Christmas. Otherwise something unpleasant would happen to me," Wing mused on that thought. Otto laughed before returning to the computer to finish his task. On the way Wing walked to the next station, he fished out a photo of a certain American blonde girl and a child in her arms. It was Jay Fanchu's first birthday and he couldn't get enough photos of them. Little did he know that Shelby was showing that exact photo to Jay then.

* * *

"And this is you and your father on your first birthday," Shelby said staring at tall,dark and handsome holding a cute, little baby. Jay.

"Mummy, when will Daddy come home?" Jay asked. Shelby bit her lip.

"Soon," she answered. She just didn't know how soon. "Now isn't it time for your bedtime." Jay groaned but ran upstairs anyway. Shelby lingered downstairs, staring at the photo album. She flickered through it till she spotted a photo of Wing carrying her at a wedding. Hers actually. She smiled. She still remembered the day perfectly and was sure that Wing did too. She came to another photo of Wing chasing Jay, his hair loose and flying because Jay took his hair band. Shelby laughed. Another photo caught her eye. it was when she was pregnant. She was so nervous to tell Wing but it turned out to be all right.

"Mummy, are you alright?" Shelby turned her head to see Jay. She had been staring at the Christmas tree again. It would be their first just family Christmas and Wing promised to be there in time. Of course she was worried. But Wing could take care of himself.

"Yes, I'm fine," she replied She had only one wish as she followed Jay upstairs.

For Wing to come in time for Christmas.

* * *

Laura was preparing lunch for the twins, as they always woke up late. She looked at the time for the hundredth time and sighed. Of course she missed Otto but she understood that the mission was important. Suddenly the twins came downstairs and grabbed a snack laid out for them. Scrambled eggs. Their favourite and Otto's too. As they ate, Laura surveyed the kids. Magnet and Lucy Malpense. They both had Otto's blue eyes and, to her dismay, her red hair. Otto thought they were beautiful and commented that at least they didn't have his white hair. Little did he know that soon after he left, she found a strand of white in their hair.

Laura sighed as she looked at the Christmas tree. It was still bare. The kids still refused to decorate it till Otto was back.

"Mummy, can we go to the park?" Magnet asked at the same time as Lucy pleaded,"Can you play the piano for us?" Laura laughed," I'll play the piano; then we'll go to the park afterwards." Laura played a couple of Christmas songs while Magnet and Lucy got their coat and their scarves. Before they left the house, Laura glanced at some photos on the wall.

The first photo she spotted was one of her showing off a ring on her hand with Otto beside her grinning. It was on the night of their wedding. As Shelby had said: It was not a matter of if but _when_.

The next photo also contained her and Otto but with two additional figures. She was at the hospital, tired but proud. She and Otto were each holding a baby. A girl and a boy. Lucy and Magnet Malpense.

The last photo she glanced at before she went out of the door held a great memory. They were at the beach and the photo showed the four right before Otto got a sunburn. In Laura's opinion, he refused the sunscreen so therefore deserved it. Hilariously, Magnet did the same thing and got the same result. Lucy and Laura then agreed that boys were idiots.

* * *

Shelby hanged up the phone. She was just talking with Laura when Laura had to check that the kids weren't killing each other with snowballs. She slouched on the sofa and started flickering through the channels till a news show caught her interest. It mentioned the group that G.L.O.V.E opposed had disappeared for mysterious reasons. Shelby's heart leaped in joy. Wouldn't that mean Wing was coming home? Shelby, however, knew it didn't mean anything and settled herself, in case of any disappointment. She yawned and glanced at the time. Deciding not to stay up for Wing, she decided to go to bed.

Just as she settled in to sleep, the door opened and she saw a small shadow.

"Mummy!" It was Jay. "I had a nightmare." She opened her arms towards him. "I dreamed Daddy left us and never came back. And it was all because of me." Shelby was shocked. Her voice softened," Daddy would never do that. He's away due to business. I know you miss him. I do too but he will come back. I promise." Shelby looked down at Jay and laughed. He was already fast asleep. She felt her own eyelids beginning to fall.

An hour later, a tall, dark and handsome man entered the house and looked around. He crept upstairs and smiled at the sight he saw in his room. When he had changed, he entered the bed and wrapped his arms around the two people sleeping. As Shelby snuggled closer to him, he thought contently to himself.

It was good to be back.

* * *

Laura entered the house, tired, with the twis galloping in front of her. She would have thought that with all the jumping that they had done, they would be exhausted. But no, Magnet was running round the presents while Lucy was jumping on the sofa.

Suddenly, Magnet stopped and stared at the bare Christmas tree. "When will Daddy come home?" He whimpered. Everybody froze. Time slowed down. Lucy flopped onto the sofa while Laura tried to find the right words to answer him.

"It's time for Swashbuckles!"

Magnet shrieked in delight and sat next to his sister, both distracted. Laura breathed out in relief. She sat between the two and cuddled both of them. An hour later, they were both asleep. Laura laid the two on each side of the sofa and flickered through the channels until she felt her eyes close. Putting the remote down, she lost to sleep and laid her head down.

* * *

Shelby woke up to the smell of pancakes and heard Jay squeal in delight. She breathed it all in and remembered that it was Christmas Day. Glancing at the clock, she saw it was 7:30am and rolled over to catch some more sleep when she heard a deep voice coming up the stairs. She jumped off the bed, exclaimed "Wing!" and ran downstairs.

Wing picked Shelby up and twirled her round. When Wing had put her down, Jay went up to her and said, "Mummy, Daddy came home. Look at the presents under the tree! Can we open them now? Please!" Wing laughed, echoing around the house, and put a hand on Jay's shoulder. "Calm down, son. We should go eat first." Shelby laid her head on her husband."Jay, what about you go and get the presents from the tree while Daddy and I go get the pancakes?" Jay nodded and went to the Christmas tree.

Wing and Shelby went to the kitchen. Wing slipped an arm around Shelby and brought her close so their heads were touching. Shelby felt his breath on her cheek.

"I made it in time," Wing stated.

Shelby nodded slowly and added,"It would have been hard to explain to our son why Mummy wasn't talking to Daddy." Wing grimaced in mock horror. Shelby grinned and Wing leaned in; Shelby did the same. They closed their eyes and...

"Mummy. Daddy. Can I have the pancakes now?"

The two seperated and returned to Jay. "Presents time," Jay shouted, running. "I wonder if there's a gun in one of them. I've always wanted one for Christmas," Shelby joked. Jay stopped and stared at his mum in horror. "You're weird, Mummy." Wing shook his head and answered,"That's your mum for you, Jay."

Shelby opened her present and saw a bracelet. Wing got a pair of sunglasses and Jay received a train set.

While Jay payed with his train set, Wing carried Shelby upstairs where a red glittery dress awaited her. When Shelby thanked Wing, he cheekily asked where his Christmas present was. She told him to look up. Wing saw a mistletoe hanging above them and smirked. He closed his eyes and leaned in. The two kissed. A kiss of longing and home.

Merry Christmas Shelby

 _Merry Christmas Wing_

* * *

Otto walked into the living room and looked around. It was strangely quiet and the Christmas tree was still bare. Otto opened his mouth to shout but shut it when he saw the sofa. He crept up to it and saw three figures sleeping contently.

He brushed Lucy's hair with his hand and stared in shock. There was a couple of strands of white hair, which stood out in the red. Lucy's eyes opened, her gaze distorted, then sharpened when she recognised the figure above her.

"Daddy," she whispered but Otto put a finger to his lips and motioned for her to wake up her brother. While Lucy woke up Magnet, Otto glanced at Laura having a sweet dream. He felt jingling in his pocket and got out necklace. At that moment, Lucy pulled Otto to the Christmas tree where Magnet and started hanging up the decorations.

Laura woke up and instantly felt cold. It was quarter to twelve so she got up to wake up the twins. It was then that she noticed that she had two empty spaces beside her. Hearing giggles behind the Christmas tree, she turned round to it and gasped. The tree was covered in lights and ornaments hanged up. The twins had refused to do it without Otto. That only meant one thing...

She felt arms wrapping themselves around her and she leaned back. "Hello," Otto whispered into her ear. Laura turned round to see Otto smiling down at her. Magnet ran round Laura and Otto but the two only had eyes for each other. "I've come back and I'm here for good," said Otto,"I'm not going anywhere for anytime soon. I've got all I need here." Laura wiped a few tears on her face.

"Aye," she said before before bursting into tears and saying she missed him. Otto rocked her slowly saying he missed her too. Laura distangled herself from his embrace and stared into his eyes. Green locked onto blue. That was coming closer and closer...

"The countdown's starting," Magnet shouted. Otto wrapped an arm around Laura where they stood watching the countdown.

"5! 4! 3! 2! 1!" Magnet and Lucy cheered while Otto kissed Laura. She responded by bringing her hands to his head to bring him closer while he wrapped his arms around her waist. The two separated and Otto brought a necklace out of his pocket and put it around Laura's neck. Laura opened it.

It was the necklace he gave her when they were 16 but now it didn't only have the picture of the two as teenagers but the whole family as well.

They sat down watching the celebrations. Laura's head on his chest and Lucy and Magnet beside them. Right then Otto recalled the promise he made Laura keep.

 _Wait for me to come home_

And she did.

* * *

 **Hey guys. I'm back. Merry Christmas everyone (at least the ones in Britain where Christmas Day has just started.) I hope you liked this fanfic. I had this idea playing around in my mind in the summer so I wrote a plan during the autumn and through these few days I wrote a final draft, which you now are reading. Please write a review. Your feedback and enthusiasm are the fuel to my writing. You may see more of me on the H.I.V.E fanfic as I've got some more ideas but I'm always free to take in requests.**

 **By the way, if you haven't already go and take a look at sailorraven34's latest story:A bit of holiday spirit. I am telling you will not regret it.**

 **That's all for now. Till next time**

 **Words**


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